The winner was Norway with the song "Nocturne", composed by Rolf Løvland, written by Petter Skavlan and performed by Secret Garden.

The 1995 contest took place in Dublin, Ireland, following the country's victory at the 1994 edition with the song "Rock 'n' Roll Kids", performed by Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan.

[2][5] Alternative venues in Galway and Limerick were considered by RTÉ, however Dublin was chosen to stage the contest again as it was judged to have been the more cost-effective location.

[2][6] Of the seven countries which did not participate in 1994, Belgium, Denmark, Israel, Slovenia and Turkey returned to the contest, while Italy and Luxembourg declined the invitation, which resulted in Austria and Spain, which were originally relegated, being allowed back into the line-up.

[7][8][9] Additionally, several artists who had previously participated in the event as main vocalists returned as backing vocalists at this year's event: Iceland's Stefán Hilmarsson and Eyjólfur Kristjánsson [is] returned to the contest as backing singers for the Icelandic entrant Bo Halldórsson, with Stefán having previously represented Iceland in the 1988 event as a member of Beathoven and both Stefán and Eyjólfur having represented Iceland as a duo in 1991;[10][11] Gary Lux, who had previously represented Austria three times, as a member of the group Westend in 1983 and as a solo artist in 1985 and 1987, supported Stella Jones at this year's event;[12] and José María Guzmán, who represented Spain at the 1986 contest as part of the group Cadillac, was among Anabel Conde's backing singers.

[7] On behalf of the contest organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the event was overseen by Christian Clausen as scrutineer.

[25] The points awarded by each country were determined by an assembled jury of sixteen individuals, which was required to be split evenly between members of the public and music professionals, between men and women, and by age.

In any cases where two or more songs in the top ten received the same number of votes, a show of hands by all jury members was used to determine the final placing.

[6] The competing delegations were additionally invited to a welcome reception during the week in the build-up to the event, organised by Irish Ferries and hosted at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on the evening of 8 May.

[6] The contest's interval act, entitled "Lumen", was an original piece composed by Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin and which combined Gregorian chant and sean-nós singing with contemporary music.

Among the performers of "Lumen" were Súilleabháin on piano, Scottish percussionist Evelyn Glennie, Irish singers Brian Kennedy and Nóirín Ní Riain, members of the Irish folk band Clannad, the Benedictine monks of Glenstal Abbey, and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra conducted by Proinnsías Ó Duinn.

[32][33] The trophy awarded to the winners was designed by Kevin O'Dwyer, and was presented by the previous year's winning artists Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan.

[34][35] The winner was Norway represented by the song "Nocturne", composed by Rolf Løvland, written by Petter Skavlan and performed by Secret Garden.

[41] "Nocturne" was a largely instrumental piece featuring only 24 words in total, with brief vocals only at the start and end of the song performed by Tvinnereim.

[23] Broadcasters were able to send commentators to provide coverage of the contest in their own native language and to relay information about the artists and songs to their television viewers.